A new Maul – Shadow Lord featurette has revealed Sam Witwer didn't just voice the titular Star Wars villain, he... kind of voiced his lightsaber, too – and now you're never going to look at them the same way again.
In the behind-the-scenes clip, in which the cast and crew gush about the ways the Disney Plus show is pushing the boundaries of small-screen storytelling, sound editor David W. Collins explains: "You actually have the sound of Sam screaming built into the saber."
I mean, if anyone's lightsaber was going to scream, it'd be Maul's, right? Watch the promo below.
step into the shadows. Get a glimpse behind the scenes of Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, now streaming only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/X1ZuYVHqQKApril 9, 2026
"Maul is a person filled with rage and hate, seeking revenge [against] those that betrayed him" new Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni adds, as Witwer notes: "The way this show looks? That's the world Maul sees; dangerous, a little bit more rough around the edges. You know? Anger, fear, aggression. This is some of the most exciting stuff I've ever done."
Turns out fans think so, too, with some viewers saying that Maul – Shadow Lord animation is so brilliant, it's making them want a redo of The Clone Wars. Or wilder yet... has convinced them that every Star Wars project going forward should ditch live-action altogether.
"With as good as animation is getting, sci-fi in general should start moving that direction in a lot of cases IMO," wrote a tuner-inner on Reddit recently. "It simply allows for far more flexible storytelling."
Also starring the voice talents of Gideon Adlon and Wagner Moura, Maul – Shadow Lord is streaming now on Disney Plus, with new episodes dropping every Monday. Ensure you don't miss any of the action with our Maul – Shadow Lord release schedule, or check out our verdict in our Maul – Shadow Lord review.
